- March 5, 2025
Tuesday night's judgment call on the quarrel between Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie and the rest of the commission over recent media appearances came from an umpire himself.
Hunter Wendelstedt, a longtime city resident, stood before the commission and urged them to work together. And, for the community to stop taking sides, stop the snickers, and "stop the baloney."
"That's not what Ormond Beach is all about," Wendelstedt said. "... The reason we're so amazing is not because of the snickers in the back or playing the blame game. Yes, you are mayor, Mr. Mayor — you are, whether we voted for you or not, you won and everyone wants you to succeed."
But, Wendelstedt added, it's also important for the commission to all work together.
Wendelstedt's comments followed those of several speakers at the March 4 meeting, most of which were responding to the commission's direction to staff at its previous Feb. 19 meeting to pursue an ordinance to require a majority vote before an elected official, including the mayor, can take action on behalf of the city. The ordinance was proposed by Commissioner Kristin Deaton to "prevent confusion" regarding whether statements made by elected officials reflect a personal opinion, or an official city position.
The proposal came after commissioners expressed concern about comments made by Leslie in recent news coverage, including a Channel 6 news broadcast where Leslie took reporters on a tour of the city's "best-kept secrets." Deaton had said that city staff, including its public information officer, had not been informed of the news crew's arrival prior to the broadcast.
However, Channel 6 did reach out to the city PIO. The news station didn't receive a response. The city told the Observer that communications involving Channel 6's recent spotlights on Ormond Beach were being handled by Ormond MainStreet.
Some citizens at the March 4 commission meeting criticized the commission for taking offense of Leslie's four-minute segment in the broadcast and proposing the ordinance. Ormond Beach resident Doug Pettit called it a "censorship ordinance."
"As a resident, I was pleased to see the mayor showing off our town in both the print and broadcast media," Pettit said. "I did not observe a malicious intent in Mayor Leslie's interviews, and certainly not to the extent of deserving the kind of treatment he has endured as a result, but rather an example of someone who truly cares about his town."
Former City Commissioner Jeff Boyle pushed back against comments made at the meeting that called the commissioners bullies and Marxists.
"It appears that it's the messengers that are the problem, but not the message of false information," Boyle said. "
The objections raised by the commission at its last meeting were not an "attack" on the mayor, Boyle said. They were a challenge to false information Boyle said created confusion in the community.
"There's a growing awareness that the mayor's most vocal supporters, and we've heard from some tonight, oppose our city government and all of its public decisions," Boyle said. "Mr. Mayor, please reach out to them, address their issues, turn their negative energy into positive energy for our city."
During their closing comments, the commissioners addressed the controversy around the mayor and the proposed ordinance. Commissioner Lori Tolland said she resented being called a "Marxist" and that she was disappointed the mayor continued the dialogue in the media past initial reports. On Tuesday, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported he was "blindsided" by the commission's criticism.
This was never about governing dialogue, Tolland said.
"I believe in freedom of speech — it's about following protocol and representing our city with accuracy and putting our best face forward," Tolland said. "My comments tonight address an issue that is fundamental to our democracy, the importance of speaking on the dais for transparency and the unintended consequences of continuing media scrutiny that shifts the focus away from the real work we're here to do."
The dais is where public policy is debated and where matters can be addressed openly, she said.
"Scrutiny is healthy, and the role of the press is important in holding our leaders responsible, but accountability should not come at the expense of effectiveness," Tolland said. "If commissioners are forced to spend more time defending the process than advancing the solutions, we lose as a community."
Commissioner Travis Sargent said comments on misinformation have overshadowed important city matters — like his proposal to purchase environmentally sensitive land on Wilmette Avenue.
"Distractions come in many forms, be it negativity, misinformation or decisive rhetoric," Sargent said. "They can all pull us away from our goals and hinder our ability to collaborate effectively. It is crucial for us as a community to stay focused on what truly matters: The wellbeing of our residents and sustainability of our environment and the enhancement of our community spirit."
Deaton said the commission bears the weight of making decisions that impact an entire community. She referenced social media attacks by people who have never sat in their seats. Many don't get to see the positive things the commission does in the community each day, she said, and when she ran for office, her goal wasn't to be a politician.
"My goal was to do what is best for Ormond Beach, so that my children and the rest of the future generations are left with the same thriving town that I was fortunate enough to grow up in," Deaton said. "And despite the noise and negativity, I'm still going to be here, committed to Ormond Beach.
In his closing comments, after a lighthearted moment discussing the upcoming mayor's health and fitness challenge, Leslie said most issues can be resolved by asking questions. He acknowledged they were all new in working together. He said he was "ready to put this to rest."
"I think that we're now getting a little more used to each other and moving forward, I'm confident that we will all work well together, because that's what our constituents wanted," Leslie said. "They wanted us to be here and they chose us, and they chose us to do one thing: city business."
